2018 Vintage
THE GOOD GUYS MUSE
Pale yellow in colour, the first impression is ripe white peach, shortbread, lemon jelly powder and fresh pear. Lovely weight on the palate where bracing acidity is assuaged by juicy succulent peach flesh, yellow apple and lemon curd.
Richard’s personal pairing suggestions would be fish pie, pasta in a clam sauce or pan-seared scallops with a lemon cream.
WINE MAKING
The grapes were handpicked and then whole-bunch pressed. Half of the juice was gravity-flowed directly to used French oak barrels without settling whilst the other half was placed into breathable plastic eggs. The unclarified juice had neither enzymes nor yeast added. The turbid juice underwent a natural fermentation until dry. On all batches, malolactic fermentation was discouraged by a light sulphuring post fermentation. The wine then matured in the vessels – in 2019 the Smuggler’s Boot Chardonnay spent an average of 8 months on its fermentation lees which were periodically stirred to enable yeast autolysis - that creamy, oatmeal mouthfeel component. The batches were then individually tasted and blended together with a light fining and bottled.
TASTING NOTES
Linear in frame this mid-bodied Chardonnay is filled out with oat biscuits, a hint of toast and fleshy nectarines. A creamy texture gives depth and complexity and a saline twist makes the wine sing. It finishes dry; mouth-coating with a racy grapefruit freshness. Delicious!
If you can get a fresh piece of tuna then tuna Carpaccio works well rather than seared tuna (which Richard thinks works better with Pinot Noir). A simple roasted free-range chicken stuffed with lemon wedges works a treat or pan-seared chicken breasts in a tarragon and light cream sauce (crème fraîche is best as it is more tangy so the final sauce doesn’t feel too heavy – you can at a pinch also use sour cream but be careful as it curdles quite easily as its protein content is much higher).
A roast loin of pork with garlic and ginger works surprisingly well and for the vegetarian-minded, pasta with a creamy wild mushroom sauce, pumpkin ravioli, or for the weekend, truffle risotto.
BLEND
100% Chardonnay made from French clones CY95, CY96, CY76 & CY548.